A deadly secret, an unexpected love that could cost everything.

Riley "Romeo" Hunt is an expert at finding those who don’t want to be found. When he's hired to catch a notorious jewel thief responsible for a brutal murder, he never expects to find a beautiful woman caught in the middle.

Jules is running for her life. After witnessing her grandfather’s murder during a heist gone wrong, she’s left with nothing but the haunting memory of his death—and the killer's vow to silence her, too. She has no choice but to flee, leaving behind everything she’s ever known.

As Riley and Jules cross paths in a desperate race to uncover the truth behind the murder, the lines between ally and enemy blur. With danger closing in, sparks fly between them—igniting a forbidden attraction neither one of them anticipated.

Riley promised himself he would never fall in love. But with every heartbeat, his resolve begins to crumble, and the feelings he carries for Jules grow stronger.

But love is a double-edged sword, especially when it’s wielded by enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy them both.

In a world of lies and deceit, Riley and Jules must decide: Is love worth the risk?

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Read an excerpt from Romeo

“Are you at home?”

“Nah. Romeo and I are out for some partner bonding time.” I rub his head as I get to my feet. “We’re headed back, though.”

“Great. Swing by here afterward, please. I have an assignment for you. The client is en route. Should be here in forty-five minutes.”

A spark of joy surges through me. I love the job. Everything about it. Hunting bad guys, returning good people to their homes—helping deliver monsters to justice. “On our way.” After shoving the phone into my pocket, I look down at Romeo. “You ready to do some running, boy?”

He barks in response.

I grin. “Race you home!”

I sprint over a small hill and down through more trees as I race Romeo back to the house I had built on my family’s ranch. Our dad gifted each of his six kids an acre for our own home, though we share everything in between.

It’s been our home for generations and will remain our home for generations to come. The only one of my siblings who hasn’t built a home here yet is my sister, Lani. She’s the youngest of us and runs a medical clinic in town, so she still lives in her apartment on the other side of our small town of Pine Creek.

With Romeo on my heels, I crest the low ridge that overlooks my home. Nestled in a small valley and surrounded by still-growing fruit trees I planted a few seasons ago, my two-story farmhouse is a beacon.

The wraparound porch is something I’d dreamed of having all those years I’d been deployed, a place to wind down with a glass of sweet tea or a steaming cup of coffee in the morning.

It’s home.

My home.

I smile as Romeo continues down the ridge, not stopping until he reaches the bright red front door. “Fine, bud!” I call out as I climb the porch steps. “You win.”

He barks in response and spins in a circle before taking a seat and waiting for me to unlock the door. It’s something I know I don’t technically have to do, but I do it anyway because years of working missing persons cases have made me hyper-aware of just how easily someone can breach your private space if precautions aren’t taken.

Sometimes, even if they are.

Romeo immediately heads for his water bowl while I retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge then make my way down the hall and into my bedroom. The place is sparsely decorated, but it’s mine. And I’ve come to realize that I really don’t need that much stuff.

A bed. Blankets. A dresser. And my books.

As I always do, I take a minute to grin up at the bookshelves covering two walls in my bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling, the titles housed there range from thrilling spy novels to nonfiction, history, and everything in between.

I’ve even been known to read my fair share of Christian romance, though my brothers will never let me live it down. These aren’t even all of them. I have an entire wall of books out in my living room and ten plastic tubs still waiting to be shelved in my office.

Books are my happy place. My escape from the world when things get too heavy.

After stripping out of the T-shirt I’d been wearing, I head for the bathroom and crank on the shower. Water sprays out of the nozzle, turning hot in seconds, thanks to the tankless water heater I installed when I built the place.

Best. Decision. Ever.

I take a moment to look in the mirror and study the bullet holes marring my chest. Angry red scars that serve as a roadmap to the hell I’ve survived. For some, scars are a painful reminder. For me, they’re fuel to the fire in my soul. I walked away from every single attempt made on my life. And as a former Special Forces Operative responsible for taking on monsters masquerading as men—in missions no one will ever hear of—there have been quite a few.

The silver cross around my neck is the very reason why I walked away, and I’ll never let myself forget it. God was in the fire with me, right beside me, as the flames got so hot I could barely stand it.

And He brought me through. Which is exactly why I will keep fighting for the innocent until He calls me home. It’s more than a job. It’s a calling.

One I will answer until there’s no more breath in my lungs.